Improved device for detaching boats from davits



UNITEB STATES ArnNr innen.

E. H. SHEFFIELD, OF STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT, AND E. P. PALMER, OF NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO E. H. WESTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED DEVICE FOR DETACHING BOATS FROM DAVITS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,928, dated April 10, 1866.

To all 'whom it 'may concern.'

Be it known that we, E. H. SHEFFIELD, of Stonington, in the,county of New London and State of Connecticut, and E. P. PALMER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Detaching Boats from their Davits; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view ot' the same. Fig. 3 is a detached sectional view of thejointed hook, which forms the principal feature of our invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in the arrangement ofjointed hooks, one at each end of a boat, in combination with retaining-chains, which eX- tend from the shanks of the hooks to arms extending in opposite directions from a vertical arbor in the center of the boat, in such a manner that when the ropes or chains from which the boat is suspended are secured in the jointed hooks and the retaining-chains are drawn in tight said hooks are forced down into suitable sockets and the boats ropes or chains are rmly secured; but when the retaining-chains are released the shanks of the hooks slide up in their sockets, the hooks iiy open spontaneously, and the boat is released simultaneously at both ends.

A represents a boat, which is connected to its davits by ropes or chains a. These ropes pass over blocks or sheaves, which are secured to the davits, and their lower ends are fastened to tackle-hooks b, which form the connection between said ropes and thejointed hooks B, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The shanks c of said jointed hooks slide up and down in suitable sockets d in the ends of the boat, and said sockets are so shaped that when the shanks are drawn down the jointed noses e bear against the ends of the sockets and are prevented from turning up; but if the shanks are permitted to slide up the jointed noses are released and allowed to turn up to the position shown in Fig. 3. 4

The shanks c ofthe hooks B connect, by chains f, with two arms, g, which extend in opposite directions from a Vertical arbor, h, which is situated in the center of the boat or in any convenient position where it can be operated by the persons occupying the boat. A handle, i, serves to turn this arbor to the position shown. in Figs. l and 2, and in this position it is retained by a stop, j, which, when dropped, bears against one of the arms g. Vhen the arbor is brought in this position the retainingchainsfare strained, and the shanks of the hooks C are drawn down in their sockets to the position shown in Fig. l. In this position the jointed hooks retain the boats ropes or cha-ins perfectly secure, and the boat cannot possibly become detached accidentally as long as the ropes, chains, and other parts hold out. The boat can thus be manned before it is lowered, and after it has been lowered until it nearly touches the water a slight touch on the stop j releases the hooks C and both ends of the boat are freed simultaneously, allowing said boat to oat off without danger of being swamped.

Vhat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The jointed hooks C, iitting into sockets d on the ends of a boat, A, in combination with the retaining-chains f and with suitable mechanism for tightening or releasing said chains, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes described.

The above specification of our invention signed by us this Sth day of February, 1866.

E. H. SHEFFIELD. y E. P. PALMER.

Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, W. HAUFF. 

